


Defragging Ultraviolet

by Brandon_McAuley



Series: The Misadventures of Detective Asshole & His Android [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Violence, Crime Fighting, Edging, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Hostage Situations, M/M, Missing Persons, Part II, Porn With Plot, Self-Sacrifice, Shower Sex, Who wants to see Gavin on top for once?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-08 12:00:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15242946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brandon_McAuley/pseuds/Brandon_McAuley
Summary: Detective Gavin Reed and his RK900 android have managed to foil a potentially android-ending plot, and life finally seems to be returning to normal. But when a missing person's case happens to come across his desk, the detective must learn to think on his toes. Officers are going missing, and his android detective partner will stop at nothing to make sure that he's safe.





	1. Quotidien Interruption

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Tumblr (@brandonmcauley)!

It took him less than a week to find a new apartment. This was primarily because there were still so many vacant properties that had yet to be filled since the human evacuation almost a year ago, but also because apartment shopping wasn't exactly something that interested Gavin.

Like, at all.

He would have been perfectly fine with the first flat that he had stumbled upon in the classifieds, but upon the insistence of one particularly stringent RK900 android, he was forced to come up with a short list. Out of five potential apartments, Gavin decided that number three was the most to his liking.

It was a Saturday evening, and he had had the day off. Most of the morning had been spent trying to follow confusing IKEA instructions, and the afternoon had been spent moving furniture around the apartment. Gavin couldn't decide where to position the couch, but he was sure that he would figure it out eventually.

From where Gavin was in the living room, pencil in hand as he marked down the spots he wanted to screw a shelf in, he heard the front door swing open. The familiar smell of greasy fast food wafted gently into the apartment, along with the familiar smooth voice of his android in greeting.

"I'm back," announced Richard. Gavin heard the door shut closed, the rustling of plastic takeout bags announcing Richard's entrance.

"Finally!" sighed the detective. He marked an 'X' on the wall. From what he could tell, it looked pretty straight.

Richard was wearing a pair of dark jeans and an old grey hoodie, both of which had been lent to him by Gavin. The android had a distressingly small wardrobe consisting only of his standard CyberLife uniform. Both articles of clothing fit the android surprisingly well, and there was just something about seeing Richard in his clothes that brought about a warm sensation in his chest.

 _Mine, mine, mine_.

Richard placed the takeout bags on the kitchen counter before wandering out to the living room to check up on Gavin's progress. The android leaned against the kitchen door frame and clicked his tongue.

"Yeah, no. That's not straight," he said with a small chuckle.

" _You're_ not straight," retorted Gavin lamely. He took a step back. Dammit, the android was right.

"I know," responded Richard flatly.

A month ago, that little comment would have had Gavin blushing red with absolute embarrassment. But they were alone together, and Gavin had become used to being on the tail end of his android's sass-ridden retorts.

Richard walked over, draping his arms over Gavin's shoulders and holding him close, placing a small kiss on the detective's cheek.

"I could fix it for you," suggested Richard helpfully.

"You got a built-in leveler?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Laser sight, actually."

Gavin squinted, shooting Richard a questioning look.

"Don't believe me?" challenged Richard with a grin, tilting his head to the side.

"Sometimes I don't know when you're bullshitting me."

"It was  _one_ time."

"You had me convinced you had supersonic hearing, asshole. Had me paranoid for days."

Richard laughed. It was a deep, satisfying kind of sound. Gavin loved to listen. The android planted a sheepish kiss in the crook of Gavin's neck.

"Your food's going to get cold."

"Chilled fries never killed anybody," shrugged Gavin. He took Richard's hand and started towards the kitchen, uneven shelf completely forgotten. He could fix that later.

There wasn't much in the kitchen yet. He still had to go and buy an entirely new set of dishware. For now, fast food and delivery would just have to do until he could replace everything he had lost in the apartment fire.

His half-brother had generously offered to supply him with a new set, but Gavin had declined. He would hate to owe Kamski anything further after his assistance during their last case. The fucker was still going on about how "exhilarating" the experience was.

Gavin pulled out a burger wrapped in tin-foil and a small, white Styrofoam container filled with spiced fries. The smell was making his stomach grumble. Holy shit, who knew that moving into a new apartment was such hunger-inducing work?

The detective hopped up onto the kitchen counter, fishing out the Diet Pepsi can from the bag. The kitchen table had questionable structural integrity.

"Got any plans tonight?" said Gavin as he opened the can, hearing the satisfying hiss and pop of the tab releasing the built-up carbonation.

"I was thinking of returning to the station," stated Richard. He had made himself comfortable leaning against the opposite counter, facing Gavin.

"Still working on that missing person's case?"

Richard shook his head, "Wrapping up. I just wanted to have the report ready for the captain by tomorrow morning."

"Did he ask you to?"

"No," admitted Richard.

Gavin snorted, rolling his eyes, "Kiss-ass. You've got to learn to relax a little."

Richard pushed off from the counter edge and approached Gavin, placing his hands on either side of the detective. He closed off the distance between them, grey eyes studying Gavin intently. Gavin liked it when the android was this close. It provided him the perfect opportunity to study the freckles and moles that patterned the android's soft skin.

"Are you going to help me with that?" challenged Richard, the corners of his lips lifting upwards in a sly manner.

Gavin bit into his burger, raising his eyebrows, "If you're good."

Richard chuckled, "If  _I'm_ good?"

"Mhm," nodded Gavin. 

But that was when Richard's brows suddenly knitted together into a stern frown, LED blinking yellow.

"What's up?" inquired Gavin, looking up from his burger. The patty was a little bit dry. How disappointing.

"I've just received a report from Fowler," explained the android. "It's about the lieutenant."

"Anderson? The fuck about him?"

"He's missing."

A beat.

"The captain is requesting our immediate attendance," continued the android, standing up straight. Gavin stopped chewing and looked up. So much for a nice evening at home.

"Anderson, that fucking cock block," muttered Gavin bitterly. Richard leaned over to place a soft kiss on Gavin's forehead.

"Shut up and eat," Richard ordered. "I'll get the car ready."


	2. I.O.U. $50

Fowler had called an emergency meeting, all available officers beginning to gather in the debriefing room. Gavin and his android took a seat near the back, having been one of the last few to arrive.

The first thing that Richard noticed was his predecessor sitting quietly on a chair in back corner, LED pulsing between red and yellow. Connor looked a little roughed up to the naked eye, but a more thorough scan revealed traces of dried thirium beneath his nose and at the corners of his lips.

"Listen up!" exclaimed Fowler, voice commanding and clear. "We have a situation on our hands. At twenty-hundred hours, Lieutenant Anderson and his RK800 unit were attacked in his home. The lieutenant was forcibly taken, the suspect leaving a hand-written note."

Fowler turned, swiping left on his tablet. The projector revealed an image of a crumpled piece of paper on the presentation screen, with shaky letters scrawled across it reading: _I.O.U. $50._

"Our number one priority is finding Lieutenant Anderson," continued the captain sternly. "I'm assigning Detective Reed as primary for this case. The file's already on your desk. The rest of you will be support. Let's bring Anderson home. Dismissed."

"Well, fuck," mumbled Gavin, arms crossed against his chest. It was no secret that Hank and him didn't exactly get along, but Gavin couldn't help but feel concerned. An attack on one of their own was an attack on all.

As the room started to empty out, nervous chatter and whispers filling the air, Richard turned slightly in his seat to face Connor.

_Status: Establishing Connection..._

_Status: Connected!_

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: Are you alright?_

_> > RK800 #313248317-51: No._

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: I'm sorry about the lieutenant. But we'll find him._

Connor didn't respond, suddenly too lost in thought to maintain their connection.

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: I know you may not feel like it, but I'm going to probe your memory. It could help us find the lieutenant faster._

Again, Connor was disconnected, staring blankly at a spot on the floor. Hesitantly, Richard reached out with his right hand, active skin crawling back to reveal the white of his android frame. Like some sort of magnet, some gentle persuasion, Connor slowly reached out, active skin also dissipating. Gavin watched from where he had been sitting with a great deal of fascination as the androids interfaced.

The memories crashed against Richard's neural processor in a painful cacophony of bright images, loud sounds and overwhelming smells. Sequences flashed across Richard's visual display, allowing for brief snapshots of the events leading up to the lieutenant's disappearance.

Connor and Hank had been watching the television, some old movie playing on the screen. Then their pet dog began to bark, aware of some sort of intruder. A blinding pain shot through Connor, seizing his mobility briefly. The dangerous crackle of a cattle prod rang out, the sound mixing with the lieutenant's frantic call out for his android.

Connor had done his best to fight back, but a second violent jolt of electricity sprang through him. Hank was getting up to get ready to tackle the intruder, but the suspect got the better of him. Humans were a lot more delicate than androids. One shock of the cattle prod was enough to make Hank seize and go limp.

The suspect's face had been partially obscured by their black hoodie that they wore. In addition, Connor's perspective wasn't ideal to get a full glimpse of the perpetrator's face. There was the briefest, almost impossible instance where Connor had seen the side of the suspect's face, but it wasn't going to be enough to compare against any DPD database.

Richard let go of Connor's hand, the older android handling the stress surprisingly well. The RK800 was visibly shaking, but Richard concluded that he was not in danger of self-destructing.

"I couldn't protect him," muttered Connor, rubbing his hands together anxiously. "I should have been faster."

Richard placed a hand on Connor's shoulder in reassurance. There were a multitude of things he could have said, but Richard decided against them. It would have made him come across as an undeliberate asshole. 

_You're only a prototype. You're not as fast as me, as strong as me. Your processors aren't as effective as mine._

"You did the best you could," managed the RK900 with a sweet smile. "We'll find him. I promise."

Connor could only nod his head, returning his eyes to the invisible spot on the floor. He didn't feel like talking anymore.

Gavin was waiting by the briefing room's entrance, leaning against the door frame. Richard quickly joined him, speaking in hushed tones.

"Find anything useful?" asked the detective.

"A partial profile of the suspect's face," explained the android. "I'm running a comparative search now, but it's doubtful that I'll find anything that matches."

Gavin tossed his head in Connor's direction, "You think he'll be okay?"

Richard glanced back at the RK800. Connor was still sitting there, still quiet. Richard managed to shrug a shoulder, "Let's focus on finding the lieutenant."

"Right."

The detective and his android made their way back to their desks, a file already waiting next to Gavin's terminal. It was a thin file, barely enough information to go on. He picked up the evidence bag that contained the note and looked at it closely beneath the light of his desk lamp.

"See any prints?" he asked the android. Upon further inspection, Richard nodded.

"Yes, but it doesn't appear to match anything in our records."

"Maybe the perp doesn't have a history."

Richard analyzed the writing again. Judging by the pressure of the writing and the slight tilt to the left, the android determined that the suspect was left-handed. There were traces of blood and thirium splattered across the page, which was no surprise considering the altercation.

_I.O.U. $50._

Gavin frowned. He wasn't sure why, but the note seemed to ring a bell. Where had he seen something about someone owing fifty dollars?

The detective glanced up and across the bullpen at the lieutenant's workstation. It was a lot more organized now, normally covered with leftover coffee mugs and day-old lunches. Connor had really helped the lieutenant get his work life back on track.

Gavin stood up from his desk and walked over, eyeing one object in particular. Hank had tucked the photograph off to the side of his desk, an old momento no doubt of his glory days. The detective picked up the frame and scrutinize the group picture. Hank had written over the glass of the frame in black marker, circles and lines connecting comments to faces.

 _A good cop. Nice girl. Asshole. Real police. You._ _Not seen since 2029, owes me $50._

Gavin looked up from the picture, shooting Richard a subtly surprised expression. The android walked over, curious. Gavin pointed a figure at the photograph, finger smudging the glass.

"What's this guy's name?" he asked. It took Richard only a second to pull up the officer's file.

"Detective David Morrison," the android stated. "He was part of the Red Ice Task Force in 2027 and worked alongside the lieutenant. He retired shortly after the multi-department unit disbanded in 2031 after the successful bust of nearly a tonne of red ice in the Detroit harbor."

"Retired? You got an address on file for this guy?"

"I do. He moved out of state to Chicago to be with family. Do you think he has something to do with the lieutenant's kidnapping?"

Gavin bit his lip. He couldn't really explain his thinking. It was just one of those things, one of those feelings deep down in his gut that good cops learned to follow and bad cops dismissed as an upset stomach.

"Can you match the prints to Morrison?" asked Gavin, leaning into the feeling.

Richard nodded, following the detective's orders. He had to search through an entirely separate database, shifting through files that had been stored away for years. It was no wonder he couldn't find an initial match. He had been comparing the evidence to Detroit's criminal database, not the internal employee one.

"It's a hit," confirmed the android. "Do you think Morrison wrote the note? The profile I pulled from Connor's memory doesn't match at all."

Gavin shrugged, scratching behind his ear, "I really have no clue. But it's a start."

The android nodded, picking up on Gavin's train of thought.

"I'll pull the car around," said Richard. "We should arrive in Chicago in under five hours, provided the traffic is light."

Gavin cracked his knuckles together, "There's nothing quite like knocking on a perp's front door."


	3. Binary Translation Required

When Gavin opened the passenger-side door and planted his foot on the ground, he let out a loud, relieved sigh. He gripped onto the door frame for his dear life, heart still pounding in his chest. Holy fucking shit was he happy to be alive right now.

"Would you calm down?" frowned Richard. "We arrived at our destination in record time."

"Because you were speeding down the fucking freeway!" snapped the detective. "I swear to God, that's the last time you fucking drive me anywhere. We're setting it on auto on our way back."

"Don't be such a pussy," said the android with a roll of the eye, clearly amused.

It was roughly two in the morning, and all of the lights in Morrison's house had been turned off. It wouldn't have surprised Gavin if the man was sound asleep, but there was just something off about the whole exterior of the home. The yard had fallen into disrepair, white picket fence missing a few of its pegs, lawn allowed to grow wild and free, several windows on the ground floor boarded up from the inside.

"Why do I get the feeling nobody's lived here in a long time?" the detective muttered to himself.

Richard ran a quick scan. "The house was listed for sale almost five years ago. Never sold."

"No wonder, it's a fucking dump." Gavin scratched behind his ear and sighed. "What a waste of a trip."

"Perhaps a quick search around the premises couldn't hurt," suggested the android, already stepping forward towards the house. Gavin followed, albeit begrudgingly. The detective struggled to wade through the tall, unkempt grass that threatened to strangle his ankles and force him to trip. The android didn't seem to have any problems.

Around back was just as worn down, with half of the picket fence that bordered the property missing planks or leaning against the wild trees on the other side of the property. The back windows had been smashed in, cob webs decorating the corners of the frames.

But what grabbed Richard's interest were the rusty metal doors that led down to the cellar. There was a chain and lock around the door handles, but unlike its surroundings, they were finally polished and very new. It was evident that they were out of place in this garden of weeds and rot.

Gavin listened closely and heard the low hum of something on the other side of the door in the cellar basement. It could have been a generator, it could have been the wind, it could have been his imagination. There was only one way to find out.

"Oh, did you hear that?" asked Gavin, eyebrows raised as he drew his service pistol.

"I didn't hear anything," admitted Richard. Was his auditory processor malfunctioning? Or was his human's bad habit of listening to music too loudly finally taking a toll on his hearing?

Gavin sighed, stressing his words this time, "Did you  _hear_ that?" He said this with a very obvious, very forced wink for added measure. Boy, this androids were state of the art, but they sure could be thick sometimes.

It took Richard a second, but he finally caught on.

"Oh, yes," the android smiled. "I hear it, too. Is that a lady crying for help?"

"I think we should investigate," nodded Gavin. "Wouldn't be very good cops if we ignored it."

Gavin watched as Richard took hold of the chain and lock, twisting it off of the cellar door handles like they were made of putty. Effortless, handsomely perfect. Gavin let his mind wonder for only a second. He wanted to know what else those big, strong hands could do.

"Detective?"

"Yes?"

"Focus."

"Right." Gavin took the first few cautious steps forward, weapon at the ready. "Stay behind me."

"Got it."

The creaky wooden stairs down to the cellar were a definite concern, each of Gavin's step hesitant in fear of the boards snapping under his weight. The lights were on in the basement, and judging by how hot and muggy the room was, they had been left on for quite some time. It was blinding, really, and distressingly warm. It took a moment for Gavin's eyes to adjust from the darkness of the night, but when they did, he suddenly wished he hadn't seen a thing.

The room was filled with androids, mutilated in a variety of grotesque and disturbing ways. All of the android's active skin had been removed, leaving plain white figures in their disassembled states. Some were missing arms, others were missing legs, some had their innards scooped out of them. There were android torsos hanging from hooks on the ceiling, a pile of deactivated android heads in the corner.

This wasn't some sort of careful operation, some sort of attempt at recycling or proper android disposal. No, the damage done had intended to be malicious, hysterical.

Hateful.

"What the actual fuck." Gavin turned his head to shoot Richard a glance, concerned. The android was silent, surveying the carnage.

"These are all significantly older models," the android stated, steely eyes expertly concerning any sign of distress. "I'd say some as old as ten years."

Gavin noticed something peculiar dead center in the room. It was another misshapen android, its legs missing with messy, angry wires sticking out from the base of its waist. It had been planted on top of an old computer screen, one of those old boxy computers Gavin had once seen in his grandfather's attic. The android's eyes were closed, but it's LED was slowly blinking red. Its arm was outstretched slightly, as if it was desperately searching for a way out of this hell hole.

The computer was on, powered by the generator Gavin had heard humming before. The screen was flashing a series of zeroes and ones rapidly across its surface, creating rows and rows and rows of binary:

01010100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101100 01101001 01100101 01110101 01110100 01100101 01101110 01100001 01101110 01110100 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01110010 01110101 01101110 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101111 01110101 01110100 00100000 01101111 01100110 00100000 01100001 01101001 01110010 00101110. 

It repeated over and over and over again without ceasing.

Gavin noticed that Richard was noticeably tense, his fists curled up in tight balls.

"What is it? What does it say?" asked the detective.

But Richard was entranced. Whatever the code was telling him, the android could only hear the insistent hum of his own processor. He slowly reached out to the mangled android atop the screen, reaching for the hand that tried reaching back.

When their hands made contact, it ferociously grabbed Richard by the wrist, forcing them to interface. It was all too sudden, too quick for Gavin to even react, Richard's LED already blinking a frantic red before Gavin could even grab onto his android and pull him to safety. Gavin ripped Richard away with all his might.

It was the only thing his panicked heart could think to do.

"What the fuck was that?" snapped the detective.

"I know where the lieutenant is," explained Richard quickly. "I know-"

But there was no time to explain. The sound of three steady, high-pitched beeps rang out. It had all been a trap. And the detective and his android walked willingly into it. No time to think, no time to breathe, no time to scream profanities. Richard grabbed onto Gavin's shoulder, roughly pulling him as close as possible, turning his back towards the computer screen to shield the human.

The explosion left Gavin's ears ringing and lungs full of black, bellowing smoke.


	4. Hearts Will Die

"You better fucking hang on, tin can," grunted Gavin angrily as he pulled Richard's arm over his shoulder. "That's an order. Do you fucking hear me?"

The explosion had destroyed most of the evidence in the basement cellar, leaving nothing more than smoldering scraps. Gavin had gotten away mostly unscathed, a few cuts and bruises here and there, but definitely alive.

And furious.

Richard, on the other hand, had seen better days.

The blast had caused severe internal damage, many of his internal circuits having been crushed and mangled by the shear force. Sharp shards of metal had embedded themselves into his back, resulting in a terribly high level of thirium loss. His white CyberLife jacket had been dyed blue.

Even though his ears were still ringing and his eyes burned from the dust, dirt and smoke, Gavin fought through the disorientation and dragged his partner up the creaky stairway out. The first few steps had been obliterated, nothing but sharp splinters sticking out in an attempt to stab him straight through the foot.

Gavin practically stumbled through the cellar entrance, falling hard on his knees. The cold night air was a welcome sensation against his burning skin, clearing his lungs of the heavy smoke he had inhaled.

The detective dragged the android all the way back to the car, struggling against the terrible dizziness that threatened to make him hurl. He was panting hard by the time he was finally able to sit Richard down against the car door.

Gavin hurried to the truck of the vehicle, unlocking it and throwing it open. He rummaged through the trunk's contents, old grocery bags, emergency car supplies, an old rusty tire iron. He finally managed to find the bottle of blue liquid he had stashed away at the very back.

He twisted the cap off and hurried back to his injured android, holding the bottle of blue blood to his lips. Gavin wasn't entirely sure if this would help. Richard had sustain some serious injuries, but surely an extra hit of thirium could help keep the android alive long enough to be repaired.

"Drink," he ordered, tilting the bottle upwards and watching the liquid gloss Richard's lips.

The android was conscious enough to remember to swallow, eyes closed in concentration as he ran a diagnostic test. Things weren't looking good, but Gavin didn't need to know that. Richard raised a hand, gently pushing the bottle away.

"I know where the lieutenant is," he croaked.

"Fucking worry about yourself first," snapped Gavin.

"He's in the Detroit River."

" _In_ the Detroit River?" repeated the detective. "The fuck does that mean."

  _Thirium regulator: severely damaged. Shutdown time: 00:00:30._

Richard frowned, there wasn't any time to explain. With whatever focus he could muster, he reached out over the network.

_Status: Establishing Connection..._

_Status: Connected!_

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: Lieutenant Anderson located. 42.1232, -83.1719. No time, lieutenant submerged. Hurry._

_> > RK800 #313248317-51: Copy that._

_Shutdown time: 00:00:15._

Richard looked up wearily at the detective, drinking in the details of his face. Gavin looked furious, but his eyes were drowning with worry. It hurt him to see Gavin so distressed.

"Fuck, hang on," said the detective hurriedly. Frantic. "Don't you fucking die on me, you asshole."

"Gavin," said Richard firmly. "It's fine. I've alerted the DPD of Lieutenant Anderson's whereabouts."

"I don't fucking care about Anderson."

"Gavin-"

"I care about  _you_!"

_Shutdown time: 00:00:03._

"I care about you, too."

_Shutdown time: 00:00:00._

* * *

His fists banged on the front door so hard that they felt swollen and bruised immediately after.

"Open the fucking door, Eli! I know you're home, the fucking lights are on!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. Gavin couldn't remember the last time he had ever been so loud.

One of Kamski's many Chloe androids opened the door, her charming smile and kind eyes greeting a clearly upset detective. Gavin immediately brushed past her, carrying Richard in his arms over the threshold. Blue blood had thoroughly stained his shirt.

He didn't care.

Kamski was in the dining room, dressed casually in grey sweatpants and a white long-sleeve sweater. He was sipping on a glass of wine when Gavin nearly kicked the door down.

"Fix him!" he demanded. " _Please_."

Kamski stood up and frowned at the sight. "What did you do to it?"

"I didn't do anything," snapped Gavin. "There was an explosion. He shielded me."

"I give you CyberLife's most expensive model and you've somehow managed to trash it," sighed Kamski, exasperated. He walked around the dining room table to get a better look.

"What's going on?" asked a soft, familiar voice.

Gavin paled. He knew that voice. He would know it anywhere. He hadn't noticed the elderly woman sitting near the end of the table. Her soft brown hair draped over her shoulders. She looked older than Gavin remembered.

"Mother," the words escaped from his lips. "What are you doing here?"

"We were having dinner," explained Kamski as he briefly examined the android in Gavin's arms. "You would've known that if you ever answered your phone."

"Don't fucking start with me," snarled Gavin through gritted teeth.

"Is he dead?" gasped their mother, hand hovering over her mouth in dismay. "Oh my God, is it an android?"

"Everything's fine, mother," stated Kamski. He looked at his younger brother with a serious, cold look in his eyes. "Follow me. We'll take him to my workshop. I'll have to see what I can do."

"Can you fix him?" rushed Gavin, desperation thick in his words.

"I said I'll have to see what I can do. I'm a genius, not a miracle worker."

Gavin followed his brother through several doors and down a flight of stairs. He would have marveled at the size of Kamski's home had his heart not been so distracted.

Kamski's workshop was impeccably clean, organized and well lit. Mechanical devices of all shapes and sizes had been arranged on shelves and between storage units. There was a metal work station set up in the center of the room, a few blueprints and schematics rolled up and resting on one side.

Kamski waved a hand towards the surface. "Place him there."

Gavin did as he was told. It killed him to see Richard lying there, eyes closed and perfectly still.

It made him sick.

Kamski immediately got to work, pulling over some sort of contraption that had a magnifying lens piece attached to the end of it. He inspected the android with incredible focus. "Jesus," whistled Kamski. "Must have been one heck of an explosion."

Gavin said nothing.

"Are  _you_ alright?"

"Fucking peachy," snipped the detective. Now that he thought about it, his neck was incredibly sore. Whiplash, no doubt.

 "My cool little brother, bringing bad guys to justice and making things go boom. What kind of case was it?"

Gavin bit his lip. He really wasn't in the mood for small talk. "Missing persons."

"Any one I would know?"

"Confidential. Case still in progress. Is he going to be alright?"

"Hold on to your panties, I don't know yet."

Gavin swallowed, his throat terribly dry. He didn't like that answer. He didn't like that answer at all.

Kamski exhaled, finished with his preliminary examination. "He's a lot worse than last time. I'll have to start charging you for repairs if you keep breaking him."

Something deep down in Gavin's gut snapped. He lurched forward, snatching Kamski by the collar of his sweater. Gavin shook him violently, clenching his teeth so hard that he could taste his own blood.

"You fucking listen to me," he hissed. He sounded like a different person. A person on the edge. "I  _need_ him. Don't fuck with me. I  _need_ Richard to be okay. So either fix him or-"

"Or what?" challenged Kamski. His eyes were cool, a smirk on his lips. "What baby brother? What will you do?"

It had been a long time since Gavin had felt so angry that he could cry. His emotions were a mess. He couldn't tell if he was angry, sad, exhausted or bloodthirsty. He wanted to break down, to fall to his knees, to weep with every ounce of his being.

Richard couldn't be gone. He just couldn't be. Gavin had already lost him once. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose Richard again.

It would most certainly kill him.

Kamski could see that he had pushed Gavin too far. He sighed, raising his hands in surrender. "Sorry," he said quietly. "That was mean. I can fix him, but it's going to take me some time. You should wait upstairs."

"But-"

"That wasn't a suggestion. Chloe will bring you some dinner."

Utterly exhausted, Gavin could only nod. He let go of his brother and slowly made his way back up the stairs. He turned before leaving altogether. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do."

"I will."

The detective made his way back to the dining room where his worried mother was waiting, lips pursed and brow furrowed. She stood up at the sight of her son, equally as nervous as he was.

"Hi," she tried smiling.

"Hi," he echoed.

"How are you?"

"I've been better. You?"

"I'm alright. I've missed you."

"Yeah. Sorry I haven't called. Been busy."

His mother shook her head. "You've got a life. I understand. Do you... Do you want to sit next to me? We can have something to eat. Catch up."

Gavin nodded wearily. "Okay." He made his way over, taking a careful seat at the dining table. It was made of red mahogany. Kamski really was as pretentious as he was back when they were kids. A Chloe android brought over a plate adorned with a juicy t-bone steak, fluffy mashed potatoes and a crisp caesar salad side.

What a pity he wasn't hungry.

"That android," began his mother carefully. "Who is he? You seem close."

"He's..." Gavin trailed off, suddenly lost in thought.

_He's the reason I feel whole._

"He's nobody." 

_I'm a fucking piece of shit._

"Oh?"

"Just a police android."

"He looked pretty beat up. You're being safe, aren't you?"

"Yes, mother."

She cleared her throat, struggling to find footing in their already distant conversation. "Have you been seeing anybody lately?"

Gavin frowned. He did not want to have this discussion.

His mother continued, "I've spoken to Sarah a few weeks ago. Ran into her at the supermarket." He could feel his stomach sink. Her name had been the last thing he wanted to hear at that very moment. "She's still single," his mother mentioned, eyebrows raised. "Maybe you should call her."

Gavin slammed his hand on the table. The plates and silverware rattled loudly at the disturbance. His heart was burning.

"Don't," he hissed.

"But-"

" _Don't._ "

"I worry about you, dear."

The black, ugly hatred in his throat burned a hole through him. There it was. There was the reason he didn't ever call, didn't ever check in, hadn't spoken to his mother in months. Always with the helicopter parenting, always with the 'concern' and 'worry.'

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"That's fucking bullshit and you know it." Gavin stood up from his spot at the table. He didn't want to hear anything else his mother had to say.

"Where do you think you're going?" frowned his mother.

"Tell Eli I'll be waiting in the car."


	5. Like It Was Nothing

_The little boy struggled down the stairs, taking his time as he lowered himself step by step, hands outstretched to prevent a stumble. The legs of his dinosaur-print onesie was just a little too long, a clear tripping hazard. But by some miracle, the child made it safely to the bottom._

_The burning, heavy smell of cigarette smoke was thick in the air, accompanied by the sickly sweet scent of beer. It was only two in the afternoon, but the way the clouds forcibly hid the sun behind them made it seem so much later. The boy knew better than to disturb the woman passed out on the couch._

_Mama had been drinking again._

_"Psst," whispered his brother from the doorway, poking his head from around the frame. "Gavin, come here."_

_Gavin waddled over, paying attention to his footing on the creaky wooden floors. He knew exactly which boards would squeal under his weight, and which ones would keep him hidden from his mother's anger. Elijah waved a hand, beckoning him over._

_"You have to be quiet," instructed Elijah. "Okay?"_

_"Okay," nodded the boy obediently._

_Gavin followed his brother outside and to the garage, the garage door open a few feet off of the ground. The boys climbed underneath, careful not to make a sound. Elijah had been told time and time again not to go messing around in his father's tools, but the boy was a rebel._

_"I made you something," said Elijah, pride clear in his hushed tone. "Do you want to see?"_ _Gavin nodded, excited. He loved seeing his brother's amazing new inventions._ _His big brother reached for something on a high shelf, getting right up on his toes. When Gavin laid his eyes on the object, his eyes widened in wonder._

_"It's a robot!" he squealed, absolutely amazed. The toy was clumsily put together with massive globs of still-drying glue, but the robot had two clearly movable legs, two arms, a torso and a definable head. There was a red light screwed into the top of its skull, which would turn on and off when Gavin pressed its button of a nose._

_"Do you like it?" asked Elijah._

_"Yeah!"_

_"It's yours, I made it for you."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah," nodded his big brother. "But don't tell Mama, okay?"_

_Gavin clutched his gift to his chest, protective._ _"I'll take real good care of it," he promised._

_But the brothers' little rendezvous was cut short as the garage door was quickly pushed open. The silhouette of a tall, thin woman stretched across the garage floor._

_"What are you two doing in here?" shrieked their mother. Her breath reeked of booze._

_Gavin's immediate reaction wasn't to giggle and run away, like it was some sort of innocent game. No, his immediate reaction was to cry and cry and cry. They had been caught, and they would be punished._

_His mother lurched forward, ripping Gavin's new toy out of his hands. She threw it hard against the wall, the pieces shattering apart and clattering on the cold cement floor. His mother grabbed her children by the ear and dragged them back towards the house._

_"Why don't you boys ever do what you're told?"_

* * *

There was a tap on his car window. Gavin jolted awake at the sound, surprised. Kamski was bent over, leaning with one arm on the roof of the car. It had gotten incredibly late and Gavin had no idea how long he had been out. The detective rolled down the window.

"What?" he snapped. His mouth was dry and his eyes felt heavy.

"He's up and working," announced Kamski. "Had to replace the majority of his biocomponents with spares I had. It'd probably be a good idea to bring him to CyberLife for a more thorough exam, though."

"Where is he?"

"Still inside. He insisted on running a diagnostic."

Gavin reached for the door handle and Kamski took a step back as the detective exited the car.

"Mother said you didn't want to talk to her," muttered his brother. Gavin frowned.

"She would be right."

Kamksi shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. I have better things to do than try and patch up your relationship."

"Good," mumbled the detective as he brushed past, walking back towards the house.

Richard was sitting upright on the work station, eyes closed in concentration, LED a steady blue. The blue blood that had stained his CyberLife jacket had evaporated, returning the garment to its original color to the naked human eye. The android looked no worse for wear. It was almost a bit unnerving, seeing him alive and well after watching the light disappear from his eyes only hours prior.

Gavin approached slowly, carefully. Richard looked at him, made aware of his presence by the sudden change in air pressure.

"Hello, Detective Reed," greeted the android.

Gavin didn't say a word. He glance down at a spot on the floor, frowning and gritting his teeth. He didn't quite know how to feel. Was this how Anderson felt each time his android broke himself and came back like it was nothing? It was stupid, so stupid. Like nothing had even happened, like Richard's decisions had no impact at all. Careless. Selfless.

And Gavin felt so, so undeserving.

"Gavin?" asked Richard. "Is everything okay?"

"That's a fucking stupid question," snapped Gavin.

"Excuse me?"

"'Is everything okay?' I don't know, you tell me."

"Gavin, I-"

"Get in the fucking car," spat the detective as he turned on his heel to leave. Richard got up and off the worktable, having no choice but to follow.

Kamski followed them to the front door, crossing his arms and leaning against the frame as he watched his younger brother and his android get back in the car. Gavin thought he saw Kamski chuckling to himself. Something was amusing, apparently. Gavin never could understand what went through that man's head.

"Gavin, are you-"

"Don't talk to me."

"What's wrong?" frowned Richard.

"I'm fucking pissed."

"At me?"

"Yeah, at you, you fucking dipshit!"

"But I-"

"Don't fucking talk to me. Don't look at me. Just fucking sit there and let me be angry."

The android resigned, hands folded neatly in his lap, eyes betraying his defeat.

Their ride home to Detroit was uncomfortably silent, nothing but the gentle hum of the car engine and the wind rushing past them as they drove well into the darkness of the night.


	6. Too Soon For Love (But Close Enough) [NSFW]

It was almost five in the morning by the time they made it back home. The still streets of Detroit were beginning to wake up to start another day, business as usual. Gavin opened the door to his apartment, not bothered enough to hold it open for the android following silently behind him.

Richard's LED blinked yellow as he received an incoming message.

"The lieutenant's been found," he announced, his voice barely above a whisper. "Looks like the information we discovered at Morrison's turned out to be legitimate. Captain Fowler wants us to meet them at the hospital for a debriefing."

But Gavin didn't respond. He shrugged off his leather jacket and kicked off his boots, leaving them in the middle of the entrance way.

Richard reached out, frustrated. But when his hand made contact with the detective's shoulder, Gavin snatched on to the android's wrist with great force.

 _Stress level: 94%_.

"Gavin, why won't you talk to me? Did I do something to anger you?"

Gavin couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Richard's mouth. "Are you fucking serious right now? How are you so fucking advanced, but so fucking stupid?"

"Is this because I damaged myself?" Richard was frowning, his grey eyes incredibly serious.

"Yes, you moron! Why would you do that?"

"You were in danger," stated the android like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"You  _died_."

"And I would gladly do it again if it meant keeping you safe."

A beat. Gavin could only blink, his angry heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. This stupid, stupid android that he liked so, so much just said he would die for him. 

Again.

Why did his heart want to break so badly?

"Would you be a fucking adult and talk to me?" snapped the android, exasperated.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that."

"Then use your fucking words, Gavin."

"I was scared!" shouted the detective at the top of his lungs. "Sometimes I forget that you're fucking invincible, okay? But I'm scared that one day I won't be able to bring you to Eli in time. I'm scared he won't be able to bring you back. So don't fucking throw yourself in harms way all the fucking time. I can't take it!"

"Why the fuck not?"

"Because I lo-"

No. Nope, he wouldn't say anymore. Gavin wouldn't let himself. It was way too early to be throwing that word around like it actually meant something. All he knew was that he had to let off some steam. He had to let off some steam real, real bad.

Richard took a step forward to close the gap between them, but Gavin refused to let the android be the one in control. He needed this. Gavin needed to feel like he had a grip on his ever-changing, ever-chaotic reality. He placed a firm hand on Richard's chest and pushed him so that the android's back was against the wall.

Gavin crashed his lips against the android's, his hand pinning Richard's wrist to his side and the other gripping onto a fistful of slick brown hair. Tongues danced together in a hot, wet mess as teeth clicked together. Much to Gavin's surprise, Richard didn't fight back, didn't wrestle to be in control. He hummed into Gavin's mouth.

He was  _enjoying_ this.

Their bodies were pressed together, temperatures already rising. Gavin was already hard, painfully so, and he could feel Richard's arousal through their pants. His clumsy human hands started to tug and pull clothing this way and that, desperately trying to remove unnecessary layers. He pulled Richard's jacket off, dumping it next to his own on the floor. Next went the android's black sweater, also quickly forgotten. 

Gavin could see the numerous marks that had been left on Richard's skin from the explosion. Kamski must not have been able to buff them out. Gavin ran his fingers over the cuts and scrapes. He knew that androids couldn't feel pain, and he was suddenly incredibly grateful for the fact.

Gavin began to plant kisses on Richard's jaw, beneath the lobe of his ear, down his strong neck. His fingers remained laced in Richard's hair, holding his head back as Gavin sucked at his exposed skin. His free hand snaked around, reaching down Richard's pants and grabbing the android's perfect ass. Gavin was practically growling for more.

"Pants. Off," he demanded.

Richard obliged, unbuttoning and then unzipping the fly to his trousers. Gavin hurriedly pulled Richard's pants down, relishing the fact that his android was now on full display before him. It was really a sight to behold. A light blush painted Richard's cheeks, an automatic response to accompany his throbbing erection.

"Gavin, I-"

But Gavin cut him off, placing his lips back onto Richard's. Gavin reached down and grabbed Richard by the thigh, hooking his leg around his hip. He couldn't wait anymore. Gavin unzipped his own pants and shimmied them down low enough so that his cock sprang up, the elastic of his boxers just beneath his balls.

And before he knew it, they were fucking. Fucking hard and loud against the wall. Gavin pressed his full length into Richard, holding him up while using the wall as support. Richard had wrapped his arms around Gavin's neck for stability, but he let Gavin snap his hips into him. Richard focused on the sensation, allowed himself to be filled.

The sensation was almost too much for his processor to handle. Each thrust pushed Richard closer and closer to the edge. There was something incredibly electrifying about Gavin taking charge, about the way sweat dripped from his brow through his earnest effort to please.

There was just something so magnetizing about the way Gavin groaned into his mouth, breathing already difficult and hot. Gavin tasted like coffee and the cigarettes he thought Richard didn't know about. Gavin smelled like his earthy aftershave and citric body wash. Gavin felt powerful beneath him, lifting Richard with his muscular arms that he always hid beneath the long sleeves of his favorite leather jacket.

Gavin felt like home. And he would do anything to protect this bitter, this angry, this handsome fool of a human.

"Ah, fuck," panted the detective. "I'm close."

Richard placed a hand on the back of Gavin's neck, pulling him close so he could whisper in his ear. "Touch me."

The corners of Gavin's lips twisted upwards.

"I want you to beg for it," he mocked, throwing Richard's own words at him.

The android wasn't entirely satisfied with this answer, opting to reach down to stroke his swollen member. But Gavin would have none of it, swatting his hand away and thrusting harder into him. 

"I said  _beg_."

Gavin expertly timed each of his thrusts, picking up the pace and then slowing down altogether. He continued to rile Richard up, bring him close to climax, but then stopping just short. Richard desperately needed the release. His sensors were starting to overload. He was left with no choice.

"Fuck," hissed the android. "Please."

"Please what?" challenged Gavin. Holy fucking shit he was close, too. Richard felt so fucking  _good_.

"Please touch me, Gavin," panted Richard. "Please just fucking touch me, I can't-"

Gavin pinned Richard to the wall and with one hand reached down to start rapidly stroke his partner. Richard felt impressively massive in his palm, throbbing with each pump of his thirium regulator.

And with a few more strong thrusts, they came undone, groaning and moaning loudly into one another's mouths. Their breaths hitched, the warmth overwhelming them, the sweet wave of release washing over them. They shuddered in each others' arms, their pace slowing until it was just the sound of their heavy breathing and satiated sighs.

Gavin pulled out, and Richard could feel the sticky liquid running down his thighs.

"Sorry," apologized Gavin, suddenly sheepish. He took Richard's hand and led him to the bathroom.

He helped Richard clean up, running a cloth under warm water. Gavin gently wiped the android down, paying special attention to the details of Richard's skin.

"I'm sorry," said Richard.

"For what?"

"I understand why you were upset with me."

"Do you?"

Richard nodded. "But I want you to know that I don't think I'm invincible. I don't put myself in harm's way because I know I'm replaceable. I did it because  _you're_ not."

Gavin swallowed, glancing down. "I just don't want to see you get hurt trying to save my sorry ass."

Richard reached out with his right hand and brushed the messy hair away from Gavin's face.

"Like I've said before, it would be an honor and a privilege to do _anything_ for you."

"Fucking sap."

"That's me," said Richard almost proudly.

Gavin exhaled, thoroughly tuckered out. It was the only thing he didn't like about being on top. It was always so much extra work, even if it was incredibly gratifying.

"Did you say the captain wanted to see us?" said Gavin, suddenly remembering.

"Yes, but that can wait," stated Richard with a shake of his head. He looked incredibly dreamy with his hair tousled and out of place. "How about you lie down for a few hours and get some sleep. We can report in later."

Gavin nodded. They had, after all, had a rather busy evening.

Once Richard had cleaned up, he guided his human back to bed. It was still unmade from that morning. They lay down together on the soft mattress, Richard wrapping his arms around the detective.

Gavin was out like a light the moment his head touched his pillow.


	7. Revenge on the Vengeful

When Gavin and Richard arrived at the hospital, it was roughly 10AM. There was a significant amount of police presence on the fourth floor where Hank had been administered, two uniformed officers standing watch just outside his hospital room door.

Gavin wasn't going to sugar coat anything, mainly because he respected Hank enough not to dance around the truth. The lieutenant looked like shit. He looked pale, tired, and too old for the job he was doing. Richard overheard some of the nurses mention the lieutenant was suffering from hypothermia, which made perfect sense. Being submerged in a small metal container overnight in the Detroit River wasn't exactly a summer vacation.

The RK800 model was by the lieutenant's side, a worried expression plastered on his face. The doctors had informed him that Anderson would make a full recovery, but his worried heart simply could not rest. Connor regarded the duo as they entered the room, a small smile on his lips as a show of appreciation.

Fowler was also in the room, sitting in the corner on an old chair. He did not look amused. "What's this I hear about you blowing shit up in another state?" he growled.

Gavin chewed his lip, feeling where the skin had cracked from dryness. "We were following a lead."

"Without my approval. Do you have any idea how much paperwork I'm going to have to fill out? Chicago PD's been blowing up my phone."

"We got results," interjected Richard. "And the lieutenant is safe."

Fowler huffed, gesturing with his hands. "True. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Anderson's alright. I just wish you would've told me where the fuck you ran off to."

"Our bad," muttered Gavin, "won't happen again."

They both knew that to be a lie.

"What do we do now?" asked Gavin, watching Hank's eyes move beneath his closed lids. "We still don't know what fucker did this."

"I believe I have a theory," Connor piped up.

"Enlighten us, then."

"I managed to scan the container that we found Hank in. The Detroit River current had washed away most of the evidence on the outside, but I managed to find traces of DNA on the inside. Traces of skin, hair that didn't belong to the lieutenant."

"Any matches?" inquired Richard.

"Yes, a partial match of 65%. A man named Federick Antonios."

Fowler sat up a little straighter, the name ringing a bell. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"The lieutenant arrested Antonios back in '29 for red ice trafficking. He was the one responsible for that massive shipment the lieutenant discovered in the harbor."

Richard quickly accessed the DPD database and pulled up the file, looking for more information. "Antonios was supposed to serve a life sentence," he said.

Connor nodded. "But he was released about a year ago."

"Why?" frowned Gavin, confused.

"The file states that his health was deteriorating," explained the RK900. "They let him out on good behavior. I guess they didn't expect him to live for much longer."

"But clearly long enough to try and get his revenge." Gavin turned to Fowler, suddenly very concerned. "What about the other members of the task force?"

"They've all be accounted for and secured. I've posted security teams to each of them until we find the bastard," nodded the captain.

"When we went to check on Morrison, we found his basement rigged," explained Gavin. "Antonios is clearly still well enough to be playing games with us."

Richard closed his eyes as he continued to probe through the files, sorting relevant and irrelevant pieces of information. "The suspect's last known whereabouts was the Eagleview Home for Seniors where he was released after incarceration."

"I really don't think he'll be there," grumbled Gavin.

"But it may be worth asking around," insisted the android. "According to my records, he was registered there."

"It's probably to assume somebody had to have seen him," agreed Connor.

The detective shot his captain a quick look, probing for any sort of suggestion. Captain Fowler stood up and brushed the wrinkles from his shirt.

"Go and see what you can find," nodded Fowler. "You're still in charge of this investigation, so do what you have to do to bring this asshole in. Nobody attacks the DPD and gets away with it."

Gavin nodded. This was something that he could understand. Not only had Antonios been making a mockery of the DPD, but he had tried to kill Hank, Gavin and Richard.  _Succeeded_ in killing Richard. This was no longer business as usual. This time, it was fucking personal. Nobody was going to hurt his android and get away with it.

Absolutely nobody.

"Connor," said the captain. The android looked up, brown eyes alert and ready. "I want you to go with them."

"But Hank-"

"Will be fine," assured Fowler. "The investigation will go a lot faster with your help, which means Anderson will be safer sooner. I've got my men watching over him. Don't worry."

Connor stood up from his spot next to Hank's beside. Gavin could see the concern in the android's eyes. He could feel a pang of sympathy in his chest. It was an entirely different android, he knew that. But they shared the same face, the same voice. It was eerie to see Richard's double so troubled, feeling so defeated.

"Yes, captain," nodded the RK800.

Richard patted his predecessor on the shoulder gently. An encouragement, a quiet understanding. Connor nodded silently in appreciation.

"Let's find this sick son of a bitch," stated Gavin as he turned to leave through the door.

It was time to get revenge on the vengeful.


	8. Language

Eagleview Home for Seniors smelled like stale air, moth balls and old vanilla beans. Gavin was not a fan.

The trio approached the reception area where a young man dressed in mint green scrubs was busy answering phones and filing digital reports. He looked a little overworked, made evident by the deep, dark circles beneath his eyes. His name tag read: Stephen.

Stephen looked up at Gavin when he quickly flashed his badge. He did not look surprised to see the detective.

"I can assure you that all of our residents are accounted for," the receptionist explained flatly. "If you've found another missing grandma, I'd suggest Summer Hill Homes down the street. They lose their seniors all the time."

"We're actually here to visit someone," said Connor. He placed his hands on the reception counter, a sweet smile on his face. "Ferderick Antonios."

The receptionist looked up from the notes he was busy digitizing and frowned at the RK800, scrutinizing Connor's face. "He doesn't get visitors anymore."

_Bingo._

"Well, he's getting three today," said Gavin. Stephen didn't look entirely convinced as he handed the detective a clipboard to fill out.

"What do you want with Mr. Antonios? You can't just come in here and talk to whoever you want."

"It's official police business."

"Do you have a warrant?"

Gavin glanced over at Richard. No, no did they not.

Richard reached into the pocket lined on the inside of his CyberLife issued jacket and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. He placed it on the counter and discreetly slid the bill forward. "Here's our warrant," he said coolly.

Stephen placed a hand on the bill and stuffed it into his pocket. He shrugged. "I'm still going to have to have you fill the visitation forms."

Richard straightened his back, lips pressed firmly together. He pulled out another hundred dollar bill and placed that on the counter. "Look at that, all filled out."

Gavin's expression must have betrayed him because Richard threw him a quick wink. 

"Visiting hours will be over in ten minutes. Don't cause any trouble or I'll have you escorted off the premises," said the receptionist as he pocketed the second bill. "Mr. Antonios is in the recreation room at the end of the hall."

"Thank you for your cooperation," nodded Connor.

As they walked down the hall together, Gavin whispered, "Where the fuck did you learn to do that?"

"I saw it in a movie," admitted the RK900. "I honestly didn't think it would work."

The recreation room was massive and bright, elegant floor-to-ceiling windows along one wall that overlooked the ground's flourishing gardens. Several seniors were going about their business, reading, talking, eating, knitting, playing chess. Really whatever they could do to pass the time. Connor was already scanning the room, analyzing every face and matching it against Antonios' profile.

There was an elderly man in a wheelchair pushed off to a corner. He was staring out the window at nothing in particular. Traces of drool could be found running from the corner of his chapped, thin lips. Connor, Richard and Gavin approached the man slowly, but the old man didn't appear aware of their approach.

"Mr. Antonios?" asked Richard.

No response.

Richard knelt down so that he was eye level with Antonios, studying him thoroughly. This wasn't right. "Mr. Antonios?" he repeated. Connor joined the RK900, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. Gavin noticed a nurse passing by with a handful of towels.

"Excuse me?" he called out to her.

"Yes?"

"What can you tell me about that man over there?"

"Frederick?"

"Yeah."

The nurse tilted her head to the side. "There's really not much to tell."

"Has he always been like this?" Gavin gestured at the man.

"He had a stroke about a year ago. I'm afraid his health's been deteriorating ever since."

No, this wasn't right at all. A man in Antonios' condition couldn't possibly have been behind Anderson's kidnapping. Unless he was a really good fake, but something about the way Antonios' face lilted to the left and the way his eyes were unfocused made Gavin think otherwise. Gavin observed Richard and Connor as they spoke in soft tones to the man, trying to get a reaction. Standing side by side, the androids looked like twins, like brothers. Like family.

 _Family_.

"One more question," he said, clearing his throat. "Does Mr. Antonios have any family that comes to visit?"

"He used to," nodded the nurse. "A son. It's really sad. He stopped coming a while ago. I think it upset him too much to see his father this way."

"You don't happen to have a name, do you?"

The nurse shook her head. "Sorry, I honestly don't remember. I see a lot of faces in a day."

Gavin scratched behind his ear. He wasn't entirely surprised. "Thanks anyways." The detective made his way over to joint the two androids. They didn't appear to be having any luck. This was just another dead end in their game of cat and mouse. And the mice were losing.

In perfect unison, both of the android's LEDs blinked yellow. They glanced at each other, the atmosphere shifting from frustrated to incredibly worried.

"For fuck's sake," hissed Connor, bringing a hand to his forehead. An elderly woman nearby looked utterly offended by the language.

"What the fuck did I miss?" frowned Gavin. He had never heard the RK800 swear before. He no doubt must have picked it up from Anderson.

"It's the lieutenant," explained Richard. "There's been an attack at the hospital."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," repeated Gavin.

Why couldn't he ever be assigned the simple cases? He desperately, desperately needed to use his vacation days.


	9. A Pair of Bloodhounds

Watching the androids work together was incredibly intimidating.

Silent, efficient, calculated.

It was only when they were sweeping the fourth floor of the hospital for the alleged assailant that Gavin remembered what they had been designed to do, created to accomplish. They were first and foremost hunters. And they had prey to catch.

The alarm was going off in the building, blue alert lights flashing along the maze of corridors. Several uniformed officers had been pulled off to the side by medical personnel, attending to their injuries. Gavin was thoroughly disturbed.

"One person did all this?" he breathed, drawing his pistol.

Connor burst through the door to Hank's hospital room, only to find the lieutenant missing and the captain was unconscious on the floor. His LED was a distressed blinking yellow. Gavin rushed over to check on Fowler. There was a massive bump on the back of his head, and his service pistol was missing. But the main thing was that he was breathing.

"They couldn't have gone far," assured Richard. "Run a reconstruction."

"Already done," answered Connor with a sharp nod. "The assailant was disguised, nurse's scrubs. Managed to get past the guards outside without raising any suspicion. He grabbed the captain's gun and knocked him out."

"Then what?" pressed the RK900, eyes hungry for information of their own. Richard could see the small trail of red blood that had drip, drip, dripped on its way out the door. Connor had seen it, too. The RK800 followed the blood back out into the hall, scanning his surroundings for any trace, any sign.

"They headed to the elevator," he answered, quickly making his way. Richard started after Connor, quickly glancing at Gavin.

"Stay here," the android ordered.

"The fuck?" snapped Gavin. "I'm coming with you."

"You have to take care of the captain." And just like that, Richard was gone and out of sight.

"Fuck!" hissed the detective. The android was right. The captain wasn't looking so good. "Nurse! In here!" 

Richard and Connor were running several analyses while they were on the move, scanning faces that they passed by, determining friend from foe in an instant. They had no idea what they were up against, no clue as to who could have been behind the attacks. There were faint traces of blood on the elevator button.

The RK800 reached out with two fingers and sampled the blood. He frowned at the results. "It matches the DNA found in the container," he announced when Richard gave him a questioning look.

"But it can't be Antonios," reasoned Richard. "This doesn't make any sense." And then the thought occurred to him, like a bullet firing out of the barrel of a gun. "Did Antonios have any brothers? Or children?"

RK800 shook his head. "There isn't time. Save the lieutenant first."

The elevator door slid open and Connor stepped on immediately. There were traces of blood on the '50' button.

"They're on the roof," he determined, deep brown eyes expertly hiding his concern. "Are you coming?"

"Lead the way," nodded the other android as he stepped on.

There was just something about elevator music that put Richard on edge. It was too calm, too out of place in this atmosphere of tension. It was like having to listen to a terribly timed joke in the middle of a funeral. Not the time, not the place, but definitely overbearing.

Connor was fiddling with his gun, a service pistol which had been issued to him a few months back. It was in perfect condition, but it didn't stop the android from checking it over and over again. Nervous. Richard observed his predecessor's ticks from the corner of his eye. His hands were folded neatly behind his back, standing straight and tall.

_Status: Establishing Connection..._

_Status: Connected!_

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: Are you alright?_

_> > RK800 #313248317-51: No._

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: What's our plan?_

_> > RK800 #313248317-51: Save Hank._

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: That's not really what I meant._

"I don't know," snapped Connor aloud. "I don't know."

_Stress level: 76%._

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: We'll save the lieutenant. I promise._

Connor looked up from the pistol. Why did this elevator ride feel so fucking long?

_> > RK800 #313248317-51: I just wish that humans weren't so fragile. You know?_

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: I understand how you feel._

_> > RK800 #313248317-51: You do?_

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: I work with Detective Reed. He's in a fist fight every other hour. With me, with perps, with random people at bars. It's exhausting trying to keep his dumb ass safe._

Richard thought he could see a small smirk ghost across Connor's lips.

 _Stress level: 68%_.

  _> > RK900 #313248317-87: I don't want you to worry. We're the most advanced androids CyberLife has ever made. Hank is as good as rescued._

 _> > RK800 #313248317-51: Thank you_.

When the elevator doors slid open, the androids went right back to work, weapons raised and safety locks off. There wasn't much to look at on the roof, just a few ventilation shafts and the emergency response helicopter pad lit at all four corners with flashing white signal lights. There was nowhere to hide up here.

Only a panicked idiot would try to escape by going up.

They were dead ahead of the androids on the other side of the roof, getting dangerously close to the edge. The attacker was young, maybe only twenty years old. He was struggling to prop the lieutenant up as a shield, gun pressed to the man's temple. It was only when the androids laid their eyes on the suspect that they were able to pull up the file.

_> > RK900 #313248317-87: Corey Antonios. Twenty-three. Frederick Antonios' only son. That would explain why you had a partial DNA match._

"Stay back!" shouted Corey. Richard could see how shaky his hands were, finger already uncertain on the trigger.

Not good.

_Probability of success: 34%._

Connor raised his arms in the air. Hostage situations were nothing new to him. But this time, it was personal.

"Put your guns down and slide them over to me," instructed Corey. He was just a fucking boy. His voice was quivering and his heart rate was through the roof.

"My name is Connor," said the RK800 calmly as he did what he was told. He gently kicked his weapon off to the side, listening to the cold metal scrape against the cement roof tiles. "And this is my brother, Richard. We're not going to hurt you. We just want to talk." Richard followed suit, tossing his own gun off to the side.

_Probability of success: 45%._

"Leave us alone!" cried the boy. "This is between me and him."

"It's okay, Connor," sighed Hank. His voice was groggy from the medication the doctors had given him. "Everybody, just stay calm."

"Shut up!"

"Let Lieutenant Anderson go," said Richard firmly. "We don't want anybody to get hurt."

Tears were streaming down Corey's face, leaving ugly streaks. "This fucker ruined my fucking life. He took everything from me!"

 "Why don't you put the gun down?" suggested Connor calmly.

Corey shakily pointed the gun at Connor. He wasn't listening. He wasn't going to.

_Probability of success: 38%._

"What did the lieutenant do?" asked Richard, trying to keep the boy distracted. "Why go through all this trouble for one man?"

"It was that whole fucking team," he sniffled. "This asshole put my father away."

"Frederick Antonios did some terrible things," reasoned Connor. "He was a drug dealer who hurt a lot of people."

"I was all alone!" screamed the boy. "He was all I had. I was only thirteen when you pigs put him away. And now he's just a fucking vegetable. He doesn't even remember my face."

"Is that why you're doing this?" pressed Richard. "For revenge?"

"I remember the news stories," he nodded. "This fucker's face was everywhere for weeks. I promised myself I would make him pay. Him and his whole fucking task force."

 _Probability of success: 20%_.

Things were deteriorating fast. Too fast. They had to do something, or else the lieutenant was going to die. Corey's hands were shaking really bad. It was only a matter of time before he accidentally pulled the trigger.

"We want everybody to come out of this alive," said Connor as he took a careful step forward. He had to do something. Anything.

"Don't fucking move! I'll blow his fucking brains out!" The boy took a step back, closer towards the edge of the rooftop. Any further had there would be no other options except down, and Anderson would come right along with him. "I swear to fucking God, I'll do it!"

"Tell us what you want," said Connor. "We'll give you anything. We'll get you help. Just don't hurt him."

"I'm beyond help," quivered the boy. Corey Antonios took a deep breath in, preparing his heart. He placed the gun back against the lieutenant's temple, pressing hard against his skull. "I just want this to en-"

Three precise gunshots rang out, three bullets meeting their mark. One in the boy's right shoulder, in the boy's right knee, and then in the middle of his chest.

Connor dashed forward and grabbed onto Hank, making sure to pull him forward and away from the ledge. Corey fell backwards, landing on his side. Connor kicked the gun out of his hand as the boy tried to speak, sputtering nonsense. Initial analysis determined that he would make a decent recovery.

It was all over now.

Richard looked over his shoulder to see Gavin, gun still smoking in his hands. The detective lowered his weapon and let out a sigh. He was breathing hard, no doubt as a result of taking the stairs to get to the roof.

"The fuck took you so long?" asked Richard.

Gavin rolled his eyes with a shrug, putting his pistol back in its holster. "You're welcome," was all he managed.

"Hank!" cried Connor. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," croaked the man. "Just getting way too old for this shit."


	10. Relax [NSFW]

By the time Gavin finally returned home, his entire body felt like lead. He was utterly and unquestionably exhausted, right down to his very bones.

He could still feel the vibration of the gunshots in his palm from when he pulled the trigger. In truth, he hadn't been thinking. His final report stated otherwise, that the shots were fully intentional, fully justified. But Gavin knew deep down that  that wasn't entirely true. It had been the adrenaline, the pounding in his ear. The fear of losing Richard again. The maniac was waving a gun around.

What else was he supposed to do?

"Gavin?" whispered Richard. The android had followed him home for the evening. Rather,  _invited_ himself home for the evening. Gavin honestly didn't mind. And even if he did, he didn't have the energy to protest.

"Hm?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just tired."

Richard tilted his head to the side as he took Gavin's face in his hands. His hands were delightfully cool to the touch. Gavin found himself leaning in slightly, craving more contact. The android placed a gentle, comforting kiss on the detective's forehead. Richard breathed in Gavin's scent. He smelled of sweat and a hard day's work.

"Your cortisol levels are off the chart," the android hummed.

"The fuck does that mean?"

"It means you should relax."

Gavin closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Richard. He moved slowly, hesitantly. But the android allowed him to hold him close. It always amazed him just how sturdy and strong the android felt. The detective rested his head in the crook of Richard's neck. Holy fucking shit he just wanted to fall asleep. There was no doubt in his mind that Richard would probably carry him to bed if he had to.

Richard stroked the back of Gavin's head, fingers running through his brown hair. A chill ran down Gavin's spine. It was so nice and quiet now. No explosions, no gunfire, no shouting and screaming. It was safe here at home, with Richard in his arms.

"I'll draw you a bath," said Richard, more of a statement than a suggestion.

"You telling me I stink?"

Richard grinned. "Just shut up and come with me." Richard took Gavin by the hand and led him to the bathroom.

He watched as the android pulled the shower curtain back, spun the stopper until it sunk down to seal the drain, and then turned the knobs of the bath to allow the warm water to begin to flow. It rushed through the pipes, hissing as it came crashing through the spout. The detective watched Richard run his hand under the water, no doubt probing to see if the temperature was ideal. Once the android was satisfied, he turned to his attention to his human.

Richard slowly undressed Gavin, and was surprised at the lack of protest. The detective really must have been quite drained. Richard easily removed Gavin's shirt, lifting it up and over his head to expose a defined chest and abdomen. The black-ink cobra tattoo that wrapped around Gavin's shoulder and upper arm was no exposed, leaving the android ever curious about its backstory.

The android helped Gavin remove his pants. There was nothing particularly seductive about the act. It merely gave the android a great sense of pleasure to be able to take care of Gavin, to be tender and kind. Gavin continued to watch with droopy eyes as Richard slipped his boxers off of him, allowing the article of clothing to fall around his ankles.

Richard placed a gentle hand on the back of Gavin's neck, giving a soft push towards the tub. Gavin obliged, stepping over the edge and dipping his foot into the water. It was perfectly warm. In fact, it was just slightly on the hotter side. It burned his skin slightly, but in a good, cleansing sense of the word. He sat down, listening to the water hit the sides of the tub as he submerged his aching body. Gavin let out a relieved sigh. His android sure knew him well.

"Good?" asked Richard.

"Mhm," he nodded in response. Gavin tossed the android a look. "You just going to stand there and watch me? Or are you going to get in?"

Richard smirked. "Which would you prefer?"

Gavin shrugged. "I think you know."

The android nodded. He could read the heightened level of testosterone radiating off of his human. Richard smiled, grey eyes soft and knowing. Gavin watched as the android slipped out of his own clothes, completely comfortable with his own nakedness. Gavin couldn't stop staring. Holy fuck why did CyberLife design them like this? Perfect and so damn sexy it could make a grown man cry.

Richard hopped on in, positioning himself behind Gavin, legs outstretched on either side of the human. He wrapped his arms around the detective and leaned back, allowing the sensation of the water to surround them both.

"This is so gay," mumbled Gavin. His words weren't malicious. They were actually tiredly amused.

"Shut the fuck up, you know you like it."

"You better not tell anyone."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Gavin breathed in the steam as he rested the back of his head against Richard's shoulder. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but this was nice. He couldn't remember the last time that he felt so safe. There was no need to put up a front, no need to prove that he was tough and capable. It was just him and his android in the privacy of their own home. This was their little secret, their little corner of an otherwise chaotic and crazy world. Sure, it was a little bit cramped, but it wasn't like Gavin wanted there to be any space left between them.

Richard planted a tender kiss on Gavin's head, breathing in the man's scent as he traced the shape of Gavin's collar bone. The human's cortisol levels had decreased slightly, but it was evident even without running a chemical analysis that the detective was still incredibly stressed.

"What are you thinking about?" the android asked. He was whispering, unwilling to break the cozy blanket of quiet.

Gavin shrugged. "That kid."

"Antonios' son?"

"Mhm." Gavin glanced down at his hand.

Richard frowned. "He'll make a full recovery, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not worried," said Gavin with a sigh. "Just feel bad for the bastard, is all. I kind of get it."

"Get what?"

"Growing up without a dad around. I can't say I blame him."

Richard wrapped his arms around Gavin, holding him close. The android placed another kiss on Gavin's temple. Richard didn't push the detective any further on the matter. That was probably a story for another place, another time. Right now, he just wanted to help his human relax. No talk of closed cases, no talk of regret. It was just them now, and time could stand still for all they cared.

Gavin tilted his head up, allowing Richard full access to his mouth. Warm lips against warm lips, wet tongue against wet tongue. Gavin reached up with a free hand, pulling Richard closer. His other hand snaked down, gingerly stroking his half-hard cock. It all just felt too good, too wonderfully hot not to touch himself. Richard, of course, had taken notice.

Nothing ever got past him.

Richard nibbled at Gavin's ear, practically growling as he said, "Let me."

Gavin nodded, allowing the android to take hold of his member and begin stroking with slow, but consistent intent. Richard's other hand had moved towards Gavin's throat. He didn't apply any pressure, probing Gavin's initial reaction above anything else. From what the android could tell, his hand was more than welcome to stay there, just above the detective's windpipe. They would have to explore that a little later.

Richard sucked hard at the skin on the side of Gavin's neck, gentle nibbling as he did so. Gavin groaned, his head spinning. It could have been the heat, it could have been the exhaustion, it could have been because this was so distressingly sexy. Richard pulled away a little, examining his work. Gavin's skin was already red, bite mark making itself evident.

The android continued to stroke Gavin, alternating the rhythm between slow and fast. He could feel his human shudder against him, reacting to his touch.

"Feel good?" hummed Richard in Gavin's ear, low and hungry. Gavin could only manage to nod, a tense ball of warmth building up in intensity in his gut. He was so, so close.

And then Richard stopped entirely, leaving Gavin's needy cock twitching for contact.

"Ah, fuck! What the fuck!" he whined. He was breathless and writhing. Richard applied a little pressure around Gavin's neck, making him feel even more dizzy, even more delirious. Gavin could only manage to groan. He would have felt ashamed about how pathetic he sounded at that very moment had he not so desperately wanted to cum. His hips bucked involuntarily, trying to find relief. "Let me guess," he panted, "you want me to beg?"

Richard grinned, that asshole of a handsome devil. He nuzzled his nose into Gavin's hair. "Do you even need to ask?"

Gavin closed his eyes, frowning, trying to remain focused. His heart felt like it was going to explode. " _Please_ ," he blurted. " _Please_ , help me. Make me cum."

Richard leaned down and crashed his lips against Gavin's, tongue angrily sliding against the other's. The android reached back down to stroke Gavin, each motion strong and sure. He kept applying pressure around Gavin's neck, just the right amount to push Gavin over the edge, just enough to make him go absolutely crazy.

Gavin climaxed hard, his whole body shuddering as he moaned loudly into Richard's mouth. Fuck, this android really could make him feel things. His heart was pounding, he was seeing stars. Gavin did his best to remember to breathe as Richard whispered sweet nothings into his ear. His voice was like silk, absolutely wonderful. Gavin let out a relieved sigh, closing his eyes once again as he allowed the warmth of the water to sap at his remaining energy.

"Don't fall asleep," said Richard gently. "You might drown."

"You won't let that happen."

Richard nodded. "I won't let anything happen to you," agreed the android, once again wrapping his arms around his human.

And deep down, Gavin knew this to be an unwavering truth. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift.

 _Stress level: 0%_.


End file.
